Disinfecting device in combination with telephone mouthpieces



Aug; 25, 292%; "mwm Vb. H. BENNETT DISINFEGT-ING DEVICE IN COMBINATION WITH TELEPHONE MOUTHPIEGES Filed June 22, 1922 Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DISINFECTING DEVICE IN COlilBINATION WITH TELEPHONE MOUTHPIEGES.

Application filed June 22, 1922. Serial No. 570,257.

"whole of the exposed working surface entirely germ proof and perfectly innocuous to those persons using it.

I am aware that several devices have been already used and which produce a varying amount of useful effect, but some of these are too flimsy for permanent use whilst others are of little utility because they are not effectively proof against the lodgement of germs and involve surfaces and crevices which are undeniably objectionable to the medical expert. whereas my deviceis entirely free of both these defects besides bemg simple in form and parts and cheaper to manufacture.

I obtain these results by the use of a tubular trumpet-shaped 0r bell-mouthed appliance composed chiefly of gypsum and carefully moulded to such a shape as will properly fit the interior of the standard telephone mouth-piece, but before pouring the plastic gypsum compound into the mould I mix therewith a suitable disinfecting medium or liquid disinfectant as the case may be, thus rendering the. appliance more or less permanently of a disinfecting character, and making unnecessary the fre quently repeated impregnation process such as will be necessary if the disinfecting medium is merely applied to the surface; although of course after a certain lapse of time my appliance may be washed and cleansed and immersed in any preferred type of disinfecting fluid.

Further in order to secure this appliance properly in its place, I arrange within the mould a thin narrow metal ring having several projections or tabs, all in the same plane, the said ring being completely embedded in the body of the gypsum tubular appliance, with only the aforesaid tabs or projections extending beyond the exterior of same; the appliance is also provided with an external rim which extends entirely beyond the outer extremity and diameter of the telephone mouth'piece and completely enshrouds it, so as to place it beyond possibility of contact or of opposition to the person using the telephone, the inner surface of the gypsum appliance is perfectly smooth and continuous without angularities, crevices, or other objectionable features so that the entire surface of the mouthpiece which is exposed to the operator is enveloped and the whole rendered innocuous tousers; the projecting tabs of thin metal before mentioned protrude underneath the external rim, and are easily bent back around the usual standard mouth-piece and thus effectively secure the appliance in position; it will thus be seen that my device is entirely self-contained in one piece which may be instantaneously applied wherever needed.

I attach great importance to the fact that in my device the porous or absorbent compound out of which it is moulded is homogeneous and continuous over the entire operative or exposed tubular surface including the external rim Which envelops the rim of the standard telephone mouth-piece, there is therefore a continuous emanation of volatilized disinfectant from the entire body of porous and absorbent plaster compound from which the appliance is moulded, and this constitutes a unique feature in regard to it.

In the drawings, Fig. 1, shows a plan view and Fig. 2 an elevation of the complete device, Fig. 3 is a detail of the embedded ring in plan and side View, and separate from moulded portion of the device, whilst Fig. l is a sectional elevation of the device shown in position in a standard tele phone mouth-piece. The moulded appliance is marked 5, and is composed chiefly of gypsum. The standard mouth-piece is shown at 6, the embedded ring at 7, and the projecting tab on the latter at 8. The embedded ring 7 may be readily stamped from flat metal as shown in Fig. 3, so that the projections can be easily bent to any position to fit the curve of the usual hard rubber mouthpiece 6, as shown at 9, and 10. It will be noticed that the emanating surface is continuous from the bottom of the tube at 11, to the widest diameter at 12. and

thence to the extremity of the hard rubber standard mouthpiece at the back of the rim at 13.

vVhat I claim is:

1. A telephone receiver mouth-piece moulded chiefly of gypsum and having its external diameters and shape corresponding- 1y similar to the internal diameters and shape of the standard telephone mouthpiece, and having embedded therein a metal ring With bendable tabs projecting from its exterior surface.

In a device for sterilizing the exposed surface of the mouth-piece of a telephone receiver, the combination comprising, an additional mouth-piece shaped to closely fit the interior surface of the usual standard type of telephone mouth-piece,- and shaped to extend and overlap the outer diameter of same, and composed chiefly of gypsum to which is added a sufficiency of suitable disinfecting or antiseptic medium; and a metal ring having external projecting tabs, or ears, said ring being embedded in the gypsum compound in such a manner as to leave tabs extending through the exterior of said additional mouth-piece, said tabs so formed as to be suitable for easily bending over edge of said standard mouth-piece.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature WILLIAM HENRY BENNE'ITT. W itnessed by T. L. BOYDEN. 

